We lost our healthy 42kg 5 year old Bull Arab 16 hours after eating Baxters puppy dry food for the first time. He had seizures, convulsions, vomiting, continually drooling, heavily diminished nervous system, legs folding out when we tried to stand him up including losing his eyesight.

On 25th May 2017 we received a report regarding Woolworth’s home brand dog food Baxters. On many occasions the link between sickness and a pet food can always be labelled “coincidental”, but in this instance it was ominous.

The consumer had two dogs, both showing no previous signs of ill health. The consumer fed only one of his dogs Woolworths Baxters for the first time, and within hours the dog became very sick, suffering diarrhoea, lethargy, and partial paralysis of their hind quarter area. The consumer and the consumer’s vet, like in many of these situations, did not attribute the sickness to the food. Almost a week later the consumer fed Woolworths Baxters to his other dog, and within hours of eating the food the dog suffered the exact same illness and symptoms.

We posted an alert on our Facebook page and the Woolworths Facebook page, and the amount of subsequent reports of sick and deceased dogs was alarming. Within a 24 hour period we had 40 consecutive reports of sickness. The symptoms were all symptomatic of poisoning :- inclusive of diarrhoea, vomiting, high temperature, bowel distress, partial paralysis, seizures, and in some cases blindness prior to death.

Tank, an otherwise healthy 5 year Bull Arab, died a horrible death within 24 hours of eating Woolworths Baxters.

Two months later on 24th July 2017 the amount of reports had risen to over 100, many direct to the Woolworth’s Facebook page, but regardless of this a Woolworths spokesperson stated to News.com.au there had been no “official complaints” regarding the product. Woolworth’s made a statement on their Facebook page claiming all incidents raised regarding Baxters products had been reviewed and investigated, and their supplier had confirmed all products were compliant to product specifications and had been tested. They said no faults were found and the products were of the highest standards. Comments on the statement showed incidents had not been dealt with, and in some cases consumers had been offered gift vouchers.

On 5th October 2017 The Advocate published an article detailing the death of 5 year old Bull Arab “Tank”, who died within hours of eating Baxters for the first time. The owner described the death as “pretty horrific” and with the same common symptoms. Tank, a much loved family dog, was blind by the time he died.

Below we will list over 200 reports of sickness and death related to Woolworths Baxters. The product is still sold today and Woolworths have taken no accountability.

The product is manufactured in Australia by Australian Pet Brands Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Real Pet Food Company (formerly V.I.P. Petfoods). Main brands produced by this manufacturer include Ivory Coat, Natures Goodness, Natures Gift, Doctor B’s BARF, Fussy Cat, Tucker Time, Billy + Margot, and Farmers Market.

Excerpts from Facebook comments on various posts and group posts, inclusive of those direct to Woolworths

After eating Baxters

Vomit after eating Woolworths Baxters

We fed our dog Baxters out of a can last night he is at the vets at the moment very sick and unable to walk.

We have ten dogs and everyone got diarrhea on the baxters biscuits.

My dog had to be put to sleep after eating this dog food she vomited for 18 hours after eating the dog roll. Her kennel had vomit up the walls on the roof it was everywhere.

She couldn’t walk and I didn’t think she would make it through the night.

The next day she went to the vet and had to be put to sleep.

She was 13 and fine before eating this product

After eating Baxters, only 1 bowl, both dogs were sick looking, lethargic, in pain. One dog ended up at the vets for 2 nights $1000 later.

We brought this for our Labrador about a year ago when it first hit the shelves. For 2 weeks she was vomiting and had severe diarrhoea and puss (caused by the reaction from the food) passing through her.

The vet said it was an obvious cause from the food. This food resulted in numerous vet visits, tests, antibiotics and having to monitor our dog 24/7. I put a warning out to facebook and Woolworths so I am shocked to see that it is still being sold and causing the same problems

Via private message:

Our labrador was very healthy & 7 years young. I can’t remember the exact dates I started feeding him Baxter’s dog food but it was new to Woolworths and he passed in September 2016. I think it was about 2-3 weeks prior to him passing that I started feeding him the tinned food. He suddenly refused food and was drinking excess water, his liver levels were high and he had jaundice but without a biopsy we didn’t know why. He also had swollen gall ball and adrenal glands and while at the vet started bleeding internally. It all happened in about 3 days of starting to refuse food that he passed. As we didn’t have answers as to why he was suddenly sick I was wondering if it was the food as that was new to him and he was otherwise a very healthy boy.

Our boy normally ate homemade mince/veg/rice but I had a baby 1.5wks prior to him passing so had bought the tinned food just while I was settling in with Bub to make things easier for me. Biggest regret of my life.

Diarrhoea, unable to walk on back legs, lack of motivation for about 24-36 hours.

One dog ate it at the start of the week and it happen then the other dog ate it at the end of the week and come down sick. Both dogs are 100% recovered now.

Sparky was having seizures on top of seizures on top of seizures for nearly 2 hours straight.

The vet said she had never seen anything like it before and even after 2 different sedatives and an injection of anaesthetic he was still fitting it took another injection to finally slow the seizures down, and I had to make the very hard decision of letting my baby go.

He was only 4yo a very energetic healthy dog.

I bought it and tried the pups on it for 2 nights the second night Jasper our 10 year old Chi x foxie became very unwell, lethargic and passed away in the night. It always nagged at me that it may have been the recent diet change.

A copy of a letter of complaint to Woolworths:

Hi

l have a major concern about a product you sell. It’s Baxters puppy dry dog food. I have a border collie that is 4 months old and he was a very active dog but three weeks ago he became very unwell. This is the same time he started eating Baxters Puppy dry dog food.

I have had him to the vet 3 times and he has had to spend a night in the vets as his temp reached 40.9 my vet bill at the moment is up to $1000.00. Have you had any complaints about this dog food as he was on it and became unwell?

Then he didn’t have it for 3 days and then became very active again. Then he was eating it again and then became very sick again. I have taken him off it and he is starting to become more alert and active again.

His symptoms have been very hi temp, very sore in his limbs to the extent of not wanting to walk. Vets have said a couple of diagnosis but his joints are not swollen enough for them to get joint sample fluids. So at the moment l feel it could be coming back to the dog food from the reviews l have read.

Please fill me in with what this dog food is and has in it. I have got samples if needed as $1000 is not just a little bit of money and also l was starting to think l was going to lose my baby. Hope to hear from you soon.

My 13 year old poodle liked to eat Goodos but I changed to Baxters Meaty Rings several months ago. She kept eating them just like the Goodos but after a month or two, she got sick and could not walk, passing away several days later.

The vet said it was possible she had a stroke. I still have one poodle left, and they rarely go near the meaty rings so I have thrown them out.

My dog had a stroke after eating this product and sadly she did not recover. This was 3 weeks ago.

I had a litter of pups that had the Baxters puppy milk and 10 of them died only one has survived they all started spewing and shitting blood in a matter of hours

My Bullterrier died from Baxters couple months ago, was fine and healthy until he tried Baxters for the first time, same symptoms as above, then his kidneys shut down and 2 days later I had to make that hard decision to put him down, action is getting taken and the food is being investigated but still on Woolworths shelves.

We contacted Woolworths via email and contacted an ombudsman as well.

I was feeding the Baxters puppy food to my pup when she got violently ill she couldn’t keep down water or food was vomiting every twenty seconds or so even when she had nothing left in her tummy she was trying to throw up.

I had to take her to the vet where she needed two injections to stop her stomach convulsing she still had diarrhoea for the next eight hours cost me three hundred dollars at the vet and they weren’t sure why she was throwing up but it may have been this safe to say I won’t be feeding it to her again

I myself have just had one of my dogs put down due to becoming sick and not knowing why but after reading this and watching some of these symptoms happen to my beautiful boy.

I have no doubt it was the dog food, as I seen my other dog go down on her back legs a few time for no reason. I will be taking this 10kg bag back to Woolworths and informing why.

I put in official complaint they tested samples onsite not the samples I sent back autopsy’s results not back yet but 2 of my puppies died.

While being fed Baxters dry dog food it was clearly noticeable the change in their behaviour, which rapidly escalated to them being aggressive towards each other.

After an emergency trip to the vet due to one of their aggressive fights we were told we had to put one our beloved pets to sleep. It was at this moment we immediately looked into other options and one being a change of diet.

Nearly 12 months on and feeding them meals we cook and prepare ourselves, they are completely different! So much calmer and actually now getting along like best mates AND not once have they been aggressive towards each other

I lost my dog after feeding him this food

This happened to our dog too but we had to put her down

(By direct email to Pet Food Reviews):

Penny has a very severe rash, partial paraylis of her hind quarter area, lethargic, high temp and vomiting. She has had the baxters liver treats, 1 tin of baxters dog food and a few of the baxters dog biscuits. We have been taking her to our vet, and he thought that her back had given out with collapsed discs, pinching nerves in neck and lower back and that the rash was from an allergic contact rash.

We now need to lift her in and out of the car, when we really need to take her any where, we try not to take her very much as she cries the whole time she is in the car with it moving. she no longer wants to go for walks which she truly loves. and we need to support her lower back when she needs to toilet. she has gone from a very happy energetic little girl to a very unhappy miserable dog. she is also losing all her fur from her hind and rear ends. absolutely heartbreaking to see her going through this. we are hoping and praying with all our hearts that she gets better. we don’t know if she has any internal problems at all, but she may well have.

Subsequently to Woolworths Facebook page:

Sadly Penny passed away today absolutely devastated.

My dad’s dog died the other day after consuming this food

We had to put our dog down 3 weeks ago due to becoming paralysed after eating Baxters dog food

A friend lost her dog after feeding him the puppy Baxter dog food perfectly healthy dog and he got the symptoms above, took him to the vet and he passed away within 24 hours of eating it

I gave my puppy this dog food and she died. We had changed her food and she seemed to get better but it wasn’t in time for her to fight it

We’ve fed our 1 year old Kelpie 2 bags of this dry food over a few months and nothing. BUT she actually collapsed at the park on Monday!!!

We had to rush her to the vet because we thought she was dying, her eyes where closing, her legs went limp and she wasn’t reacting when we were yelling her name trying to keep her awake!

The vet checked for snake bites etc and nothing, he said he was puzzled and it could of been a seizure!! She also had low glucose levels and high temp I might tell him about this food brand!?

We lost our healthy 42kg 5 year old Bull Arab 16 hours after eating Baxters puppy dry food for the first time. He had seizures, convulsions, vomiting, continually drooling, heavily diminished nervous system, legs folding out when we tried to stand him up including losing his eyesight.

Our dog had seizures over 2 days and problems with walking and standing, has lost his sight and is now blind completely. After 15 days he has made a recovery with his walking and general well-being but he’s blind he is continuously just walking into things hitting is head he must be very confused and all he did was eat the Baxter dog food I purchased at Woolworths

Note: BJ later died. Woolworths instigated tests and later refused to cover the cost.

I am writing this post to inform you of the consequences from our dog consuming Baxters dog food, biscuits, liver treats. Very sadly we had to have her put sleep today.

We are very angry that after so many complaints about these products, you continued to and still do sell these products as well as Apollo products.

We are asking you to save other dogs by removing these products immediately.

It won’t bring our beloved family member back but it will save others.

This is so wrong it should not be happening.

It is poisoning the animals system.

Please remove it now.

That’s the food that Adams sister was using when their dog passed away

I’m sure this is why my 2 yo fur baby died. I have been given a $100 voucher for my inconvenience.

My Tilly died in July. Yes I’ve been rang by an independent who asked how my dog was. I broke down when said she died.

My friend went to media when his dog died too from eating it.

I had a beautiful female black Labrador exactly the same thing happened

My dog died one week ago she was only five and that’s what we fed her.

After a trip to the vet last night due to severe gastro like symptoms (shit and spew everywhere) plus a loss of appetite and many other strange behaviours along with a fair bit of research today it seems this brand is responsible for many sick/dead pets around Australia.

We think it’s what killed my Rotti

My two fur babies, passed within 3 weeks of each other.

I feed them baxters wet food, dry munchies and the dogs biscuits

Lost my little girl to this shit! It should not even be on the shelves.

Both dogs ate Baxters before they died, but the vet test said Parvo.

This is exactly what happened to our puppies.

I saw this on the shelves, new at our local Woolworths 12 months ago.. I bought it and tried the pups on it for 2 nights… the second night Jasper our 10 year old Chi x foxie became very unwell, lethargic and passed away in the night.

My 13 yo poodle liked to eat Goodos but I changed to Baxters Meaty Rings several months ago. She kept eating them just like the Goodos but after a month or two, she got sick and could not walk, passing away several days later. The vet said it was possible she had a stroke. I still have one poodle left, and they rarely go near the meaty rings, so i have thrown them out.

Have bought the dry biscuits for our dog who is normally healthy he has had diarrhoea for some time plus he has been sneezing for quite a long time.

He really refuses to eat the stuff only eating a few morsels when he’s super hungry, he obviously know better than I do that this stuff is crap.

Have sent a complaint to Woolworths but I’m not holding my breath for any positive response

I took my dog to the vet and before those who say its not the dog food be aware that Charlie has only been on Baxters a couple of months as was until then a healthy happy dog . As you can see by the picture his fur is falling out. Not only that he is suffering bloat and was eating more than normal of Baxters dog food, Since taking him off of Baxters his fur is coming back slowly.

They [Woolworths] don’t even give you the courtesy of a return call when you ring to complain.

Hair loss on Woolworths Baxters

I have been giving my dog dry ‘Baxters’ and he has ended up at the vet. My dog was struck down and couldn’t walk.

The vet has been treating him as having had a stroke. After an initial steroid injection he has been on cortisone tabs

We have a Labrador (she’s a guide dog). She was unable to work for a week after eating Baxters.

We put our dog on Baxter and he started getting itchy, had a pussy face and that was the only thing we had changed with him.

I work at a vet clinic and he is vaccinated.

We took him to the vets and he was put on medication twice to stop it but it still came back.

We took him off the food and within a few weeks he was fine again. It doesn’t sound like parvo, it sounds like an infection.

It cause itchiness and can cause harm to the dog’s vital systems.

My dog became violently ill on the Baxters treats. It was Baxters that caused my dog to be ill, and there is absolutely no doubt at all about that.

I have been feeding my 4 healthy dogs Baxterz for about 6 months and was wondering why they are all sick! Now I know why my 13 year old staffy has lumps on her body her nose is losing skin and bleeding she constantly itches as she was born with sarcoptic mite.

This food has made it so much worse. My other 3 are all itching themselves and trying to eat the dirt out of my pot plants so glad someone posted about this the other day.

The wet food as in dog roll meat smells like dead animals and my staffy won’t have a bar of it now I know why! My poor babies have been suffering in silence.

My staffy got lumps as well after eating this almost like an extra nipple

I have been feeding my 20 month old Dingo Baxters meaty rings on and off for the last 6 months or so but the last 4 weeks she has had diarrhoea on and off and for the last 3 days heaps.

I got my pups back from my now ex and wondered why one of my girls seemed sick. Looked at food it was Baxter’s. I hadn’t heard of it before it was all that was in the house so gave them another meal. She seemed reluctant to eat became quite lethargic and slept on and off for a day.

She had gone off food all together for that day too. That night she threw up it was nasty Googled the food and was sent here. Wish I’d seen it before!

My baby is back to her over exuberant self been eating some gentle homemade food while her tummy recovers fully.

This stuff is bad!

It is also happening with Woolworth’s essentials dog food!

On Sunday my dog spent the night at the vets with a liver infection caused by bacteria in his food!

The poor thing was so sick! Limp and lifeless, drooling, foaming from the mouth and heavy breathing! If we would have left him any longer he would of died!

We are waiting to hear from Woolworths with an explanation!

I put in a complaint about Baxters have photos to back it up and everything and have not heard a word back from them

Today I took my dog to the vet and before those who say it’s not the dog food be aware that Charlie has only been on Baxters a couple of months as was until then a healthy happy dog. His fur is falling out.

Not only that he is suffering bloat and was eating more than normal of Baxters dog food, since taking him off of Baxters his fur is coming back slowly but the blood test taken today will tell me more.

He was always healthy before eating Baxters more the fool for those that keep feeding them and believing nothing will come of it.

They don’t even give you the courtesy of a return call when you ring to complain.

Yep they say someone will call you back.

I always buy Coprice dog food at $40/bag but were caught short financially so bought Baxter’s biscuits to tie our dogs over after reading no artificial colours/flavours. A few days later our healthy dogs were vomiting and really lethargic and refusing food. Now their vomit is so thick and syrupy like diarrhoea, rich yellow so nasty.

This food has to be removed from the shelves.

After spending over 600 in tests at my dogs vet he has been cleared of Cushing’s disease and indeed it must be that bloody Baxters dog food. It gave him exactly the same symptons as Cushing’s. Loss of fur, frequency in drinking and urinating, black blotches on his skin bloated belly.

THIS FOOD MUST BE TAKEN OFF THE SHELVES. I enquired about having it tested found a place that would do it but to cover every single toxicology test it will cost 1000’s of dollars that I don’t have. With enough complaints the testing should be done for free as it is a danger to dogs.

DO NOT FEED YOUR DOG THIS CRAP. I am angry as the packaging makes it look a lot better than it is, being made in Australia I though oh at last, but now he is fed Applaws and does not each as much he also has been introduced to a 5 star dog food Stay Loyal. He loves both and eats much less than he was with Baxters.

My daughter was feeding her puppy Baxters treats and she was itching badly she took them back for a refund and since taking her off of them the dog no longer itches or bites herself. The large amount of fillers (grain) is one of the problems.

I can’t believe with all these reviews that Woolworths still has this product on the shelves. I bet it would be a complete different story if it was food making people sick.

I for one am ashamed to admit I fed our two dogs this garbage. I am sure without a doubt Baxters Dog Food caused/contributed towards the mental instability of our dogs.

While being fed Baxters dry dog food it was clearly noticeable the change in their behaviour, which rapidly escalated to them being aggressive towards each other.

After an emergency trip to the vet due one of their aggressive fights we were told we had to put one our beloved pets to sleep. It was at this moment we immediately looked into other options and one being a change of diet.

Nearly 12 months on and feeding them meals we cook and prepare ourselves, they are completely different! So much calmer and actually now getting along like best mates AND not once have they been aggressive towards each other!

One of our dogs is still struggling to walk.

We have 6 very sick bubbas, 3 of which are 7 week old puppies.

I rang Woolies over this product weeks ago due to 3 dogs from different homes getting sick.

I fed my dog this dry food for a week and then my dog suffered a stroke. That was 4 months ago. I didn’t connect the two at the time and I wish I had of known. She’s still not right, her balance is off and a permanent head tilt, after weeks of injections, vet visits and rest.

Yesterday I seen a man walk out of a supermarket with a bag of this food and told him to return it. HOW IS IT STILL BEING SOLD?

A month ago I tried this brand of dog food with my two dogs for a bit of variety like I always try to do. Only hours after eating the canned food for the first time they both became very lethargic, started vomiting & one had diarrhoea.

Bought this rubbish from Woolworths and reported back to them 2 days later it made my dog sick and dysentery. “we have had no complaints ” really?

A family who bought a pup from me almost lost him to this food. For 10 years he has been in perfect health then they fed him this food.

He became emaciated and ended up in the vets for 5 days on a drip. He was inches from death. The people who make this food should be held responsible.

I’ve had this happen to my dog while on this food. Her legs wouldn’t hold her & she had a few terrible accidents inside – vomit and poo.

I now have to feed her a vet dry food (not a bad thing) because her stomach is so sensitive now.

We bought this for a Labrador a couple of times. And the lack of energy he has was unbelievable for a 6 month old puppy. He was also drinking about 2 litres of water a day, I thought it was normal being warm days, even though he was at home sleeping.

This explains so much with my dogs after reading the comments and reviews.

My dog violently vomited straight after a Baxters chew treat, and she never throws up.

We had a lactating mumma and now 3, 7 week old puppies very sick as they were weaning. We also have our other pregnant mumma quite ill.

This happened to my Mastiff. She was sick for a week.

I tried Holly on it and after the second can she had really bad diarrhoea for a few days. Being a Labrador she eats anything and that was the first time something like this has happened with her food so it must be nasty stuff.

I brought this for my dog and I gave him some and he started to vomit everywhere and once I stop giving it to him he came right after a while.

Omg. This explains why my puppy has been so sick.

My dogs have also been sick on this and weight loss.

This is what Daisy had.

She was very sick.

I have bought these biscuits before, maybe Kelsie had them that day she was sick at Easter time she had all those symptoms.

My old boy has had 3 episodes in the last year, basically like a stroke, and he will only eat the Baxters chicken and rice. He had those symptoms.

I was buying it for my puppy she did have episodes of vomiting I haven’t bought it for about two weeks now and no vomiting so I am guessing that was the problem.

My daughter is a vet nurse and her works have a dog in who is very sick after eating Baxters.

Now we know why we woke up to our dog that had vomited throughout the house about 7 times last night.

Both of my dogs we’re very sick on this food.

My little girl has been ill and coming up in scabs on her body.

My dog had a very bad rash on his back after feeding him this can food had to see vet.

Why is this dog food still on the shelves and being sold? My granddaughters poor dog is violently sick atm after eating it and my granddaughter is beside herself.

The vet told her to stop feeding him food and give water. If anything happens to this poor baby will they be accountable for it?

That would’ve been why I thought Locky was dying and why he cost me so much at the vets.

My dog has vomiting gastric problems and is so weak I am having trouble getting her to drink water so we’re heading back to the vets.

It made my dog spew for 2 days. The poor guy couldn’t handle any type of food not even roast chicken which may I add is his favourite.

$300 at the vet later and all they put it down too is his food. Baxters roll; it’s mushy and stinks bad! I’ll never touch it again.

I have now taken both my dogs off this food and straight away the mucus, bloody diarrhoea has stopped!

So I definitely know that it was that food that caused both of my dogs to get sick.

Why the hell were my dogs vomiting for hours on and off within 10 minutes of eating Baxters?

If this was human food and it made 50 humans ill or dead they’d be sued. Woolworths don’t value our pets.

I bought a bag of Baxters because there was no Supercoat on the shelves and ever since my dogs have had diarrhoea and vomiting I have stopped them eating it straight away they seem very sick and lethargic from it.

My 17 yr old dog has old age issues, naturally. I started giving her Baxters and she went downhill fast. I didn’t associate the decline until I took her off this poison.

The improvement happened within a couple of days.

This was the only change to her surroundings and diet!

Made my dog have so much diarrhoea that she was bleeding should be taken off the market.

Since feeding their dry food to my dog she has been covered in a horrendous rash that no cream or pill has fixed!! The thought crossed my mind it might be the food. I will not give it to her anymore.

Rash after eating Woolworths Baxters Meaty Rings

Almost killed my female Rotty. She was so sick and vomiting and diarrhoea after eating some Baxter straps.

We have been giving our dog these treats and dog food. She has had a rash, her back legs give out on her, very lethargic, totally unwell. The vet has told us she has nerve damage in her back.

This happened to our dog too but we had to put her down.

Yes and liver treats as well as one tin of food. We almost had her put to sleep but thought we would wait a little bit. Still not out of woods yet.

cont, regarding a response from Woolworths…

Not much response. “We are waiting to be told what to do” was all they would say. Refunded money, but that doesn’t make up for what she is going through. She is still very unwell and may need to be put to sleep. I am very angry and extremely sad.

How can you still be selling this crap after all the complaints you have received. Nothing will bring our pet back but you may save others from what she had endured. Please act now.

We normally don’t feed this to our dogs but couldn’t get anything else last week. All three were sick as soon as they ate this. Diarrhoea and vomiting.

Fed Baxters canned food and dry biscuits to our 10yr old lab and after a couple of weeks she developed vomiting and diarrhoea. She was sick for days as we didn’t realise it was the food causing it.

After a vet visit we stopped feeding it and she came right. She wasn’t fed Baxters for a month or so but as soon as we did the vomiting and diarrhoea started again. Would never ever touch their products again!! Dog hasn’t been ill since.

We do not buy the puppy canned Baxter food as we found small bone chips in each can, we complained to Woolworths and are still waiting for an official reply after 6 months.

I have 4 Staffords fed them Baxters Roll for the first time as a quick meal. 1 would not eat it, and the other 3 were vomiting all night.

This product should not be on the shelves. If this was human food people would sit up and take not, but dog food they don’t care, even though this food cost us a fortune later at the vets.

My Australian cattle dog has just had six puppies and after she world I put her onto super coat puppy biscuits for higher fat content while I was overseas my house sitter run out of biscuits and put my bitch onto Baxters puppy biscuits she became ill with diarrhoea all over the house and vomiting.

I had to take her to the vet to receive an injection to stop the vomiting as soon as I stopped the Baxters biscuits the diarrhoea and sickness has stopped I wouldn’t recommend this product to anyone and I can’t understand how Woolworths can continue to sell it knowing that only just passes dog food standards it is absolutely disgusting.

This is what I had started giving my dog and I have had to take her to vet because I thought something was wrong with him, $800 later and biopsy’s on his face.

My puppy had this and she ended up with a UTI and vomiting after only having two servings.

I have noticed my puppy with rashes on her belly and on the inside of her ear. Her face started to looked a lil bald.

I just thought it was her scratching coz we didn’t bath her in a couple of weeks. Tonight we noticed a cough.

Has anyone tried that cheap roll of dog food from Woolworths, I gave it to my dog the other day and he started pooing black and blood.

Very sick within half hour of eating half a cup, thought she was dying.

She was vomiting, really hot, covered in a rash and could barely walk.

My pup vomited up every time so stopped before it got really bad.

Explains Indy’s diarrhoea. Week when it was super bad she had this.

This is a video of my poor girl in so much pain that she couldn’t put her head down. Even her fur looked different. Thus was a few months ago she is 100% fine now.

My dog had the same paralysis to one of his rear legs, (which had gone the next day) I have a video. He had the runs, stinky farts, low energy, vomiting and all caused from Baxters that we had bought as our other biscuits weren’t at the shops that day!

Worst decision I made! Nothing else had changed but the food!

I have contacted Woolworths about this and taken all Baxter products back.

Our dog suffered terribly after we gave him one of the treat products. Luckily, we got to the vets in time.

I have been giving this to my dog for about 2 to 3 weeks now and have noticed that he has been drinking a lot more water than usual.

I made a comment to my husband about how much he was drinking and discussed about getting him checked for diabetes.

It was emergency vet trip and $500 bill for Banjo my cocker spaniel. He had the most extreme case of doggy diarrhoea that I have ever heard of

Poor little guy complete lost control of his bowels it was literally leaking out of him.

He had to wear nappies for a few days I was worried that it was going to be permanent.

I tried Baxters tin meat on my German Shepherd and he ended up with diarrhoea for 3 days. Stopped it immediately.

This shit gave my babies severe runs and they started losing their fur as well as rashes on their skin. That was over a 2 week period.

My dog started these biscuits 2 weeks ago due to his normal biscuits not being available and within 2 days he starting getting wind then runny poos and vomited 4 times within a week.

Then strangely he couldn’t walk one day with no idea why which was fine the next day after a nights rest then vomited again so I decided to change back to his original biscuits my husband will be making a compliant to the company.

This has made my dog sick and 4 other people’s dogs I know of its obviously a problem for most people.

We had an issue with Woolworth brand dog food about 18 months ago. We ended up with a huge vet bill as one of our dogs ended up with severe vomiting/runs/lethargy.

The vet suspected it was the food so we contacted Woolworths to investigate but they weren’t really interested. This has been going on for a while with many reports. Please be careful feeding your dogs this food.

Needs to be recalled I have 3 dogs that vomited and dry reaching for 3 hrs within 15 minutes of eating the dog roll anyone having issues need to call Woolies.

Omg my dog is actually sick from this atm.

My pugs back legs started to give out.

My dog vomited 7 times the other night and once last night from eating this. I’ve had her for 3 and a half years and she has never been sick like this before.

This time I purchased my dog also vomited the last time I purchased it he was lethargic and ill I have worked out the dates both times on Baxters.

I brought that a while ago because it was cheap. Unfortunately he was ill, wouldn’t move, and diarrhoea. I stopped giving him that and he is back to normal.

Who do I send my vet bills too as I have spent over $700 trying to find out what was wrong with my dog to find out it was [Baxters] dog food.

Just witnessed two pups get little bumps all over their backs from eating this shit, I have one of the other pups didn’t feed him this and his fine.

I gave Romeo these biscuits and he got really sick and his stomach swelled up and he threw up and had trouble walking was alright the next day but I won’t ever give our dogs this food ever again.

We have been giving our old blue the Baxters can food off and on when money has been tight and have noticed a little bit ago that every time she lays down or moves she grunts and groans like she is uncomfortable.

Her back legs also seem like they are painful and she has trouble getting up sometimes.

We were feeding our dogs that and Lilly has all these symptoms I haven’t feed her that since Roy died and she still has all the symptoms not happy if this is the reason why this has happened to my girl.

Same thing happened to my Labrador vomiting, lethargic, struggled to walk, yelping as he was in constant pain.

My poor pooch has become extremely ill after one serve of the nasty stuff he has been pooing blood and spewing.

He currently is at the vet finding out what’s wrong but so far that 6 buck dog role has cost me $650 thanks Woolworths for having no care for anything other than the money being brought into your company.

This is what we fed Syd when he got really sick and ended up at the vets last time.

We was feeding our dog Baxters and not too long ago he got really sick and nearly died.

Vet couldn’t give us a definite reason what was the cause.

They said he had symptoms similar to Parvo but tested negative for it. A week at the vet and over $1000 dollars later he was lucky to have survived as they didn’t think he’d make it.

My girl was VERY sick this week (vomiting & diarrhoea) after having the straps & dog chocs.

I fed my dog the Baxters dry food and she came up with lumpy scabs all over her body. Stopped giving it to her and she was fine.

I only had the dental treats, she normally has beef liver treats from the pet store or vets, so we will stick to what we know, she only started throwing up after eating the dental chews .

My ex put my American staff on it and she became very sick, Back to raw meat, rice, pumpkin and coconut oil.

My boy had terrible diarrhoea, wouldn’t eat or drink, just lay down all day, managed to get him to drink water with a little chicken stock in it, didn’t want dehydration as well, feed him rice with chicken necks, vegetables took a week to come right again.

Our 11yr old pug just spent 4 days at the vet and almost died after eating this food. He had vomiting, could barely walk and couldn’t pass urine.

He was on a drip for 3 days to rehydrate. $1400 later he is back home and starting to improve. Will never buy this food again.

I bought the big roll to cut up for my dog. Within hours he spews everywhere. After 2 nights I tried a different dog food for a few days. He was fine. Tried the Baxters one again and spewed everywhere again.

I fed it to my girl once as I’d run out of her normal food. She was so sick projectile vomiting and diarrhoea within a couple of hours of her eating it. Threw the bag away. Never ever again.

At first I didnt think it was the food but it was the only thing she’d eaten that was different. She was fully vaccinated and although not 100% foolproof, I was pretty confident it wasnt parvo.

By morning she’d stopped projecting from both ends, however she was off her food for a couple of days. I make up a lot of her meals and I’ve always fed her Meals for Mutts dry food.

I used Baxters straps for my dog and it almost killed my female dog. She only had a couple and was vomiting, diarrhoea and then was so lethargic.

I fed Baxter’s to my dog only once next day $2000 dollars vet emergency blood like a river coming from both ends. Pulled my baby through only just never again.

Woolworths Baxter was the problem with my Sukey suspected cause of his stroke.

One of my pugs ended up at the vets fighting for his life from this food.

My dog had one feed of this food and got severe gastro, I’ve thrown the rest away.

My dog got super sick vomited all through my house from eating this now I only feed him real meat and mince ect

We feed this too our poor pouches, and it made them terribly sick.

My daughter was feeding her old dog this food and everyone thought she was going to die as her health was failing and 2 months ago l changed the food she gives her and now at 15yrs old on a better food she went from last legs to positively puppy like and looks so much better now she is off the Baxters.

I used Baxters once and my staffy continued to throw up all the time I changed the food and she was fine again.

Was feeding it to my new pup and within the day he had severe diarrhoea which was like water shooting out of him. Changed him onto super coat straight away and he hasn’t had diarrhoea since then. Definitely something up with the Baxters food.

We had a puppy which her previous owner fed her Baxters so we just continued using the same. She had constant urinary tract infections. We stopped and put her on science diet and not a problem since.

I was feeding Ty “Baxters” because I had them on my old delivery round, the little guy was unwell so I stopped feeding it to him now he’s back to his grumpy self.

My dad bought it once for Darcy when we ran out of her normal food and she was violently sick.

I bought the straps for my Great Dane, he seems better today but had diarrhoea for 3 days and also a seizure. I’m not saying it’s definitely from this but after reading this it seems possible. I have sent Woollies a message.

Note: The owner confirmed the dog had no prior seizures.

I bought the straps for my Great Dane, he seems better today but had diarrhoea for 3 days and also a seizure. I’m not saying it’s definitely from this but after reading this it seems possible. I have sent Woollies a message.

I think this is what did it to Bobby. He had a seizure. I had just given him Baxters a couple of times for the first time since we had him I was little broke that week.

My older boy had some the other week. He is epileptic and had a huge episode around that time.

He ended up in intensive care at the vets. Now reading this I’m convinced Baxters food is the reason why his seizures were unstoppable.

Same happened to my dog after eating this rubbish, luckily got her to the vet in time.

My dog had a really bad reaction to Baxters as well I tried for ages to deal with Woolworths about it they did nothing!

I fed my dogs some of this stuff ages ago and it made them sick so I never gave it to them again and won’t buy the shit.

My dog has recently been sick couldn’t work out what was going on. This morning I read this story this is the dog food my dog eats.

I have a friend whose Labrador reacted badly to this food too.

I bought the treat strips. My Suzie was sick after everyone. I threw them in the bin. No more being sick. I will stick to the better brands.

Last week, in the rush, we purchased Baxters from Woolworths. After reading the reviews, it sounds exactly what happened to Grace. She had diarrhoea for a few days we put it down to drinking the river water and kept a close eye on her. Luckily she was only eating a couple at each feed.

Explains her seizure.

Response from related party:

She hasn’t had it for a few days and she’s stronger than when we were at home. Lots of little walks is doing her well.

I’ve found out that it’s bile that my dog is vomiting after eating Baxter’s food- 4th day of vomiting today!! Off to the vet tomorrow and I’ll be sending Woolworths the bill.

Our poor dog has been suffering and now I have taken her off it she is slowly getting better.

I have just discovered this dog food is the reason for our dog’s health decline. Her skin is all red and inflamed and fur is falling out behind her ears.

The only thing different is we have been giving her Baxters wet food instead of the usual Aldi brand. So lucky I discovered it was the food before she got seriously ill

Direct to Woolworths:

I am a foster carer for a local animal rescue group. The public are generous and donate food to the group including your brand of dogfood BAXTERS.

I have a bit of an issue though as I transitioned my foster dogs to Baxters and ONE DOG STARTED VOMITING a couple of weeks after starting on the food so I had to stop feeding him Baxters and he stopped vomiting.

The other dog however was fine so we kept feeding him the Baxters food that is – up until yesterday

Just bought a can of this as I just had a operation and ran out of good dog food well never again you can’t contact the company directly and I’m absolutely disgusted to find mould in it.

Have bought the dry biscuits for our dog who is normally healthy he has had diarrhoea for some time plus he has been sneezing for quite a long time.

He really refuses to eat the stuff only eating a few morsels when he’s super hungry, he obviously know better than I do that this stuff is crap.

Have sent a complaint to Woolworths but I’m not holding my breath for any positive response

After a couple of days both our German shepherds became very ill with vomiting and diarrhoea we swapped food back to Supercoat and they are now back to normal.

I had a look at Baxters face book page and it is full of complaints, how is this stuff still on the market.

I bought this too and stopped feeding them as my dogs have been vomiting and same for another lady at work.

How can it still be on the shelves?

This is why Costas bowels are so lethal, he literally gases the room, and he won’t stop shitting inside, and he doesn’t let us know he needs to go, he just does.

My pooches are inside dogs and never have they been like this before. The poo was like black water and after googling what others have been experiencing from this food a lot matched my dogs and only after such a short time of eating it.

In response to the above comment:

Same here or they’re green and extremely runny.

He used to let us know if he needed the toilet, but not he just goes his favourite place seems to be in our 4 month old daughters room.

She got a nasty rash! All over her tummy and I just thought cause she’s a staffy and they get eczema sometimes, but I saw a post about the dog food and took her off and she’s so much better.

Baxters use to be Woolworths Select plus another name but all the same crap. 1 of our dogs was on the tinned food prior to them changing the name and she nearly died. Vomiting, runny stools, no energy or appetite.

After $900 of testing things at the vet we could only come up with the food being the issue. Contacted Woolworths, they were not too phased and didn’t want to tell me exactly what was in the food. I changed to homemade meals and Black Hawk and no more issues ever.

This is the stuff I was feeding Rudy when she got lethargic and weepy eyes and that skin thing.

This explains my girls upset stomach and quietness and withdrawn.

My older dog is so needy and loving and he wouldn’t even let me touch him as he was in so much pain.

My girl hasn’t been herself all week. Diarrhoea, eating grass, no energy, and seems so down. I was going to take her to vets tomorrow if she was no better.

But now I know what it is, those snacks were finished yesterday and I’ll never be buying them again. Was the first pack I’d ever bought and it’s the last.

I used it for my pup and she started being lethargic and vomiting all the time!!! As soon as I stopped giving it, she stopped vomiting. I had 3 full packs. A couple of weeks later, I was desperate for food for my dog, I thought a scoop won’t hurt her, well I was wrong she started vomiting again!!! Was no coincidence this product is cheap shit, DO NOT BUY IT!

I bought a bag and fed it to my 8 month old Great Dane pup. I’ve had problems with him having hookworms and roundworms ever since as well as blood in his poos yes I have treated him 3 weeks in a row now I’m definitely never buying that stuff again.

Our boy Charlie was violently ill after eating Baxters.

Did brandy have this before she was paralysed?

Response from related party:

Yes.

Same thing happened to our dog we thought she was dying.

Note: Owner confirmed she was feeding her dog Baxters at the time.

All my dogs and cat went thin. Wormed them out, they continued to look sickly. Went back to more popular brands, they all look healthier than ever.

I had been giving my Puppy Baxter meat rings and now I know why she has been getting the diarrhoea on and off until the last 2 days where it has been really bad. This product needs to be taken off the shelves for the safety of our animals.

My dog was only on this for a couple of days. He has suffered 3 seizures weakness in his legs and is very lethargic. It needs to be taken off the supermarket shelves.

I had the same problem my dog had to have surgery.

He is much better now I’ve changed food altogether cost me $1400 at the vet but he is more important than money.

My dog had gastro about a month and a half ago. It cost around $900.00 at the vets; they said it was something bad she had eaten.

Complained about Baxters some time ago Woolworths took the time to ring me on a conference call with two of their representatives to assure me that they had taken the complaint seriously and had investigated Baxters dry dog food and found that it is complies with all the relevant standards.

They could not explain why this food made both my dogs sick and with severe diarrhoea.

Both my dogs had bad diarrhoea from eating both the tin food and the dry food from Baxters, never had an issue before or since.

We gave our dog the dry food and it made him vomit and have diarrhoea.

I got some because of its low fat for one of our dogs. The other dog started having seizures got rid of the crap and the seizures stopped.

I rang Woolies over this product weeks ago due to 3 dogs from different homes getting sick

My dog had a stroke after eating this product and sadly she did not recover. This was 3 weeks ago.

After eating Baxters, only 1 bowl, both dogs were sick looking, lethargic, in pain. One dog ended up at the vets for 2 nights $1000 later.

Woolworths Facebook page responded:

This is very concerning to see and we take things like this very seriously. Could you please private message us here http://m.me/woolworths with the product details such as the store you bought this from, batch expiry and also your contact number? Thanks!

The following week the consumer commented:

No response yet

I was feeding the Baxters puppy food to my pup when she got violently ill she couldn’t keep down water or food was vomiting every twenty seconds or so even when she had nothing left in her tummy she was trying to throw up.

I had to take her to the vet where she needed two injections to stop her stomach convulsing she still had diarrhoea for the next eight hours cost me three hundred dollars at the vet and they weren’t sure why she was throwing up but it may have been this safe to say I won’t be feeding it to her again.

I was feeding the Baxters puppy food to my pup when she got violently ill she couldn’t keep down water or food was vomiting every twenty seconds or so even when she had nothing left in her tummy she was trying to throw up.

I had to take her to the vet where she needed two injections to stop her stomach convulsing she still had diarrhoea for the next eight hours cost me three hundred dollars at the vet and they weren’t sure why she was throwing up but it may have been this safe to say I won’t be feeding it to her again.

A family who bought a pup from me almost lost him to this food. He became emaciated and ended up in the vets for 5 days on a drip. He was inches from death. The people who make this food should be held responsible.

We have a 4 month old pup on Baxters who has had diarrhoea for days now.

One of our customers is overseas and she purchased Baxters dog food biscuits for her dog and instructed us to feed her dog while she was away.

Our policy is to check food before feeding the dog and when we inspected the Baxters dry dog food we found what we are attaching in the picture below. Not only had this but we also found a maggot crawling around on top of the biscuits. We also smell the biscuits and the biscuits did not smell good.

We have seen reviews about Baxters biscuits and want Woolworths to be aware that this product has problems and needs to be looked at immediately as maggots and what is shown in the picture below is not acceptable.

Mould and Maggots in Woolworths Baxters

My dog started vomiting after eating this dry food.

My dog’s fur started to fall out she is fine now she doesn’t have it anymore.

I bought Baxters dry once. i gave my staffy girl one handful of it which she ate. within an hour she had started to vomit. by morning she had been projectile vomitting and diarrhea throughout the night. It was that bad, it was literally up the walls. never ever again. it took her 3 dasys to get her appetite back. never been so scared in my life.

This is what we fed my dogs and one of them got really sick late last year. Have switched to raw since and both my boys are thriving. The one that got sick still has a delicate tummy since though.

I found metal shards in the Baxter’s wet food I bought from Woolworths.

I feed my boy baxters tin food last night and he randomly got a bleeding nose.

We feed our dogs this and one can’t walk. She has lost her appetite and is trying to be sick and looks very depressed.

My dog was fed baxters and she was limping and acting so strange i was so worried so i changed all her food and cook for her (rice meat and veggies) thankfully shes ok

Lucky my dog didn’t have the worst symptoms but it did give her diarrhea. Her poo came out entirely like liquid. poor girl. chucked the bag out.

We dont buy any more our dogs were very strange on this food.

Our dog is just starting to support himself to do his jobs.. he’s been paralyzed for nearly 6 weeks and only now is starting to show some normality. He’s a 7 month old shepherd that breaks your heart watching him all day..

We persevered and have now surprised the vet on his slow but sure recovery. He now has different food, treats and biscuits and he’s getting better every day

Caused Charley to be super sick.

My Pomeranian was shitting blood the day after giving her Baxter from a can. She’s ok thanks to the vet.

About a month ago, I purchased a 1kg box of doggy biscuits (shaped like bones), and in it was a huge clump of I am not sure what, which was half the box, and was mouldy. I took it back to Woolworths where I was given a replacement, but I wanted more action. It simply was disgusting.

My little dog got extremely sick on Baxters raw hide At the time didn’t know why she had a seizure followed by vomiting and diarrhea Her poop only consisted of mucus Her vet put her on antibiotics which helped the moment antibiotics were finished it came back I am so fortunate I put 2 and 2 together and looked up baxters pet food it was a once off purchase bcos regular brand wasn’t available The shock I got at the Symptoms exactly what my little girl had I immediately warned all my friends who had pets It’s disgusting They should be ashamed This all happened in the past couple of months 2018.

Knew this food was crap. Used to make Ava sick.

I started giving Ralphy this like 2 weeks before he got sick and died. Pretty sure I gave all the leftover cans to you for Trigger?

Ralph’s death was so sudden and unexpected that I honestly think it was the food.

Reponse from related party:

Actually yes I do recall the cans now I hope the food had nothing to do with the deaths of both our dogs.

Sally vomited after she ate it twice.

Made my 3 dogs sick with vomiting and diarrhoea.

I feed my poodle vet food, but gave her one Baxters treat; which she spewed up

Tried it once and my dogs threw it up. Never again.

All i can think is that the baxters milk and dry food was responsible for killing majority of our litter of pups and their mum unexpectedly….our vet said poisoning… assumed rat baits, but noone was thinking diet

The amount of trauma that i have suffered from the loss of our animals over the past year, have left me a mental mess.
And to think all of the what ifs and questions i had, could all point to baxters food breaks me even further… now i have guilt for not being able to afford top quality food.
Wtf is wrong with the world

We did feed this product at one stage to our two dogs they both end up with runs real bad and temperature,that was on the wet food so we stop feeding them the wet we were stupid to … then tried the dry food same result s never used it since.

One handful of this crap made my dog so ill. Projectile vomiting and diarrhea. Never ever again. Now i warn people when i see them with it their trolley.

This is the shit that made Luna sick! Remember when she was throwing up anything she’d eat?

Response from related party:

Yeah that was bad!!

My dog had reactions to this previously.

He is ok now took him to the vet when he was salivating weirdly after feeding him. Vet said he’s fine and keep an eye on him.

Fed him, salivating again. Food in bin.

My dogs all got sick too… i thought it was because I gave them tinned food (as a backup emergency) when they usually have chicken mince… after reading this and knowing that all 3 were sick I’m pretty convinced i was wrong

This happened to my special dog Jack, from the dog polony. He never recovered fully, then died from damaged kidneys. So sad they are all allowed to sell us this poison

Tried it once 2 goldies with diharea, tried again months later thinking had been one off but no sleepy dogs with diharea and it’s scary to see so many worse.

What Astrid eats, may have been why she was so sick.

Bought some denture stixs .. they were covered in a white clingy type powder that wouldnt come off looked a little like mildew they were in date so my feeling was so bad about them I threw them out.

I have 4 dogs of various breeds, and I have been feeding them on baxters tin food for the last 3 months. Since I have started them on the baxters food I have noticed a slow decline in their wellbeing plus my 2 smallest dogs have virtually refused to eat for the last two days.

I had been feeding my German Shepherd Baxters food for going on a year and all she did was itch scratch herself to pieces i took her to the vet she had NO fleas NO mites NO bugs what so ever. My vet suggested i changed food so i did and within 2 weeks her itch was completely gone and all I did was change from Baxters to Natures Gift. I do believe Baxters was the problem and the evidence supports it.

After spending over 600 in tests at my dogs vet he has been cleared of Cushings disease and indeed it must be that bloody Baxters dog food. It gave him exactly the same symptons as Cushings. Loss of fur, frequence in drinking and urinating. Black blotches on his skin. Bloated belly.

My daughter was feeding her puppy Baxters treats and she was itching badly. She took them back for a refund and since taking her off of them the dog no longer itches or bites herself.

I always buy Coprice dog food at $40/bag but were caught short financially so bought Baxter’s biscuits to tie our dogs over after reading no artificial colours/flavours. A few days later our healthy dogs were vomiting and really lethargic and refusing food. Now their vomit is so thick and syrupy like diarrohea, rich yellow. So nasty.

I am the owner of a business in Sydney called (Name Removed) Petsitters and I visit my customers cats or dogs feeding them while the owners are away from home. When I open food packets I always smell the food first and then visually check the food before giving to the pet. With the Baxters biscuits the smell was a bit weird but when I looked inside I saw several groups of biscuits clumped together by what looked like spider web….. I then saw a maggot crawling inside.

Woolworths owns this brand and it is also happening with Woolworths essentials dog food!
On Sunday my dog spent the night at the vets with a liver infection caused by bacteria in his food!
The poor thing was so sick! Limp and lifeless, drooling, foaming from the mouth and heavy breathing! If we would of left him any longer he would of died!
We are waiting to hear from Woolworths with an explanation!

We arnt happy, they said they would call within 3 days and it’s now been 8 days! Will be sending them the bill and a letter of complaint.

I got my pups back from my now ex and wondered why one of my girls seemed sick.
Looked at food, was Baxter’s. I hadn’t heard of it before.
It was all that was in the house so gave them another meal. She seemed reluctant to eat.
Became quite lethargic and slept on and off for a day.
She had gone off food all together for that day too.
That night she threw up.
It was nasty.

This stuff is bad!!!

I have been feeding my 20month old Dingo Baxters meaty rings on and off for the last 6 months or so but the last 4 weeks she has had diarrhea on and off and for the last 3 days heaps.

I have been feeding my 4 healthy dogs Baxterz for about 6 months and was wondering why they are all sick ! Now i know why ! My 13 year old staffy has lumps on her body her nose is loosing skin and bleeding she constantly itches as she was born with sarcoptic mite . This food has made it so much worse. My other 3 are all itching themselves and trying to eat the dirt out of my potplants .. so glad someone posted about this the other day. The wet food as in dog roll meat smells like dead animals and my staffy wont have a bar of it now i know why! My poor babies have been suffering in silence im so bloody angry !!!

I myself have just had one of my dogs put down due to becoming sick, and not knowing why, but after reading this and watching some of these symptoms happen to my beautiful boy. I have no doubt it was the dog food, as I seen my other dog go down on her back legs a few time for no reason. I will be taking this 10kg bag back to Woolworths and informing why.

Recently had to put my big boy to sleep due to cancer. He had been fed this a few times.

I tried my dogs on Baxter for 2 days and my Pomeranian got sick with bloody diarrhea and needed to go to the vet.

I have been giving my dog dry ‘Baxters’ and he has ended up at the vet. My dog was struck down and couldn’t walk. The vet has been treating him as having had a stroke. After an initial steroid injection he has been on cortisone tabs. He has been back on ‘LuckyDog’ and is making good progress. Still cannot jump up into the ute but he can now jump up on the bed again.

Have bought the dry biscuits for our dog – who is normally healthy – he has had diarrhea for some time plus he has been sneezing for quite a long time. He really refuses to eat the stuff only eating a few morsels when he’s super hungry, he obviously know better than I do that this stuff is crap. Have sent a complaint to Woolworths but I’m not holding my breath for any positive response.

Actually just piled the last of the bags biscuits into a dog bowl, and so happy to see it go… I’ve been trying to look up some info about it because my dog farts everytime he eats them.. and all day too.. (These arent average dog farts, these are everyone clear the room’ kind) and looking abit online, shows that it can be a veryyyy bad sign in a dog… So i really am concerned if this isnt affecting them more ‘dangerously’, then we think. I hope more propper investigation can be done by someone regarding them, because its worrying.

Just bought a can of this as I just had a operation and ran out of good dog food well never again you can’t contact the company directly and I’m absolutely disgusted to find mould in it. Let me tell you its horrid this company should be ashamed of themselves. DO NOT BUY BAXTERS DOG FOOD!

Woolworths, why are you still selling and PROMOTING this brand?!? I can’t believe the reports that I am reading after waking up to a very sick pup this morning (second time we have fed her Baxter’s tinned food this week and both times she has been very sick).

When do you plan to release a public notice and get this brand off your shelves??

Excerpt of response from Woolworths:

We’re very concerned to hear that since consuming our tinned Baxter’s dog food, your pup has been unwell. We’d never want for any pups to fall ill and we’re so sorry for any inconveniences caused because of this. We’ll be raising this occurence with our product team for investigative purposes and we’ll be raising this with our product team to look into.

Disclaimer: Some comments have been edited for grammar and correctness, but the subject matter has remained intact. We can not confirm all the above reports of sickness and death are caused by Woolworths Baxters as any report may be coincidental, but the content of the reports go far beyond coincidence.

Leaps & Bounds is the home brand of PetBarn and City Farmers. They don’t tell you it’s a home brand on the packaging, which is something we call a phantom brand. Many people would be detered from buying a home brand if it actually looked like a home brand, so they now tend to be packaged like “premium” brands. Most home brands in Australia are made by the same manufacturer.

Let’s take a look at the Chicken & Rosemary formula. We’ll start with an excerpt from the Leaps & Bounds website which tells you what they want you to know, not what they don’t. Please note this is common across most pet foods, not just Leaps & Bounds.

Doesn’t that look tasty and wholesome?

If we correlate the above pictures with the real ingredients we see the main ingredient is meat meal (poultry, beef and/or lamb), a rendered product comprising of carcass, sinewy tissue, and some muscle meat from a variety of animals, not just the succulent chicken we see pictured.

The second ingredient isn’t just rice, but a combination of rice and wheat. Don’t you think it’s strange they only make you aware of the rice, and not the wheat? Wheat is a problematic grain in terms of allergies and itchy skin but is a cheap way of bulking up a pet food. Cats are obligate carnivores so don’t need either grain anyway, and given the carb % is higher than the protein % that means your cat is getting more carbs from grains than protein from meat.

The protein is ramped up with soya bean, which is a cheaper substitute to real meat protein. We also find cereal protein from corn, another stigmatised ingredient which they neglect to mention on the packaging and marketing. Seeing cereal bran is also ominous, and can be problematic for your pet carnivore to digest.

To offer some small positives about the food, it’s nice to see the inclusion of salmon oil and linseed for heart health, skin, and coat. It’s also good to see natural antioxidants and preservatives.

It’s not an optimal diet for a carnivorous animal, but not many dry cat foods are.

If this has helped you please take the time to share it to other Australian pet owners. Thank you

There’s a lot of controversy about corporate manufacturer Hill’s. Vets endorse it and many would seemingly defend it to their graves, but many pet nutritionists and prominent social media figures in the pet space such as Dr. Karen Becker, Rodney Habib, and the Truth About Pet Food’s Susan Thixton are actively against it.

My first cat died on Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d as recommended by a vet who’s professional knowledge I trusted. Years of involvement in pet food, pet food marketing, and discussions with consumers, vets, veterinary professors, and manufacturers has helped me understand the two sides of debate. I’ve drawn my own conclusions which I’ll explain pragmatically, but given what I know now, if my present cat was suffering the same condition then Hill’s Prescription Diet would be the last product I feed. If you read this full review you will come to understand why.

For simplicity I will focus on k/d, but the same applies to all prescription diets in the Hill’s range.

I’ll start with a simple undisputable fact about the food – The main and most prominent ingredient is rice. The second ingredient is corn gluten meal. These two ingredients amount to the bulk of the food, which is sold as a diet for a carnivorous animal. It also contains wheat and wheat gluten. Let that sink in for a moment…

Let’s consider two of the most common arguments pro-Hill’s from veterinary professionals:

(1) Scientific studies show a cat with renal failure on a renal prescription diet can live up to twice as long.

(2) Scientific studies show the improvement in renal parameters on bloodwork when fed a renal diet prescription diet.

These are correct, but the reason why they’re correct is rarely considered. Vets rarely question a cause, only offer what they believe is best as a solution. With any dietary related condition, the first question a vet should be asking is “What was their previous diet?“. Most of these studies show an improvement based on a cat being fed one of the many commercial diets formulated from cereals and cereal grains (such as wheat), which means they will almost certainly show improvement when switched to a diet formulated on rice and corn. It doesn’t detract from the fact it is still the wrong diet for a carnivore, and the previous diet (of cereals and cereal by-products) was likely the cause of the condition in the first place.

In any case, a cat with a renal condition should never, under any circumstances, be recommended a dry diet absent of moisture.

To further support the pro-prescription diet argument, a food such as k/d is formulated with reduced phosphor which is a requirement for a cat suffering a renal condition. Many pet foods, even the better ones, are higher in phosphor. Pet foods with meat meals (comprising of carcass) won’t work for a cat suffering a renal condition. Renal diets are also restricted protein, but I task anyone finding research which proves this to be necessary (other than research conducted on rats almost a century ago).

The other side of the debate is this – a cat (or dog) suffering a condition such as CKD, would be far better off fed a properly formulated and considered fresh diet. This is 100% true, but the reality is it’s a difficult thing to achieve which requires research and a sound knowledge of feline nutrition. Because of this, a prescription diet is the safest diet a vet can recommend for a cat (or dog) suffering a specific condition.

We rate this food at 2 star because rice and corn is not an appropriate diet for a carnivore. It is, however, better than any of the main/supermarket brand cat foods formulated with cereals such as wheat. We need to stop feeding our pet carnivores grains.

If you’re feeding your cat a Hill’s Prescription food for your cat and you’re uneasy about switching to a fresh diet, then at least opt for Hill’s Prescription wet food as the better alternative to a processed dry grain-based food.

If this has helped you please take the time to share it to other Australian pet owners. Thank you

Where to buy?

Guaranteed Analysis

* Carbohydrates aren’t listed on pet food labels. This value is calculated based on levels of protein, fat, moisture, and ash. Estimated values for moisture and ash have been used where these values haven’t been given (moisture of 10%, and ash of 8%).

Prime100 has built a loyal following in recent months within raw feeding social media groups, and their single-protein rolls are sold by vets targeting dogs with allergies and intolerances.

The release of their dry food ZeroG has been anticipated and now imminent, so here’s an initial review of the Kangaroo, Lentil, and Turmeric formula.

The guaranteed analysis shows a slightly higher than average protein percentage of 25%, and a lower than average fat percentage of 10%. Using our generic method of calculating carbohydrates that would suggest around 47%carbs, so almost half the food. This is disappointing compared to other Australian brands which boast much higher protein and fat, and far less carbs. But let’s put that aside for now and take a look at the ingredients.

On a positive note, most of the ingredients are decent inclusions, but as with most dog foods the label is deceiving. Let me explain…

Kangaroo meal is the first listed ingredient, which is what we would expect of a reputable pet food. We need to take into account the 2nd listed ingredient of lentils, the 4th ingredient of chick peas, and the 6th ingredient of field peas. It’s likely the kangaroo and lentils are of a similar proportion, which makes this food lean towards legumes rather than meat.

Sweet potato is one of the better selections for carbs in a grain free food. It’s lower GI than potato, and far less problematic than grains when it comes to digestive issues. This, combined with tapioca starch as the fifth ingredient are the bulk of the carbohydrates.

It’s nice to see the inclusion of hydrolysed kangaroo liver, an ingredient rich in vitamins and minerals. We also find a combination of oils which will help your dog maintain a glossy coat and overall well-being. Another plus point is the use of chelated minerals, a form of minerals more readily absorbed.

The decent ingredients don’t end there, with a range of small inclusions to support heart and joint health, including turmeric as stated in the formula name.

Overall the food is well formulated, but it has to be said it’s on the legume side of the scale and moderately higher in carbs to other foods we’ve rated highly.

Where to buy?

Guaranteed Analysis

* Carbohydrates aren’t listed on pet food labels. This value is calculated based on levels of protein, fat, moisture, and ash. Estimated values for moisture and ash have been used where these values haven’t been given (moisture of 10%, and ash of 8%).

We are a family inclusive of [dogs/cats/ferrets], and are delighted that the safety of processed pet food is being investigated by the Australian Government.

Please do everything in your power to ensure the Pet Food Industry of Australia is properly regulated, with preventative measures in place to mitigate the risks of contaminants and toxins in processed pet foods, more stringent standards, and better consumer transparency.

[If your pet has been sick on any pet food, or you have purchased a pet food at any stage with contaminants or mould, please elaborate here]

Let’s consider the dietary needs of cats for a moment. Cats, from the Order Carnivora, are obligate carnivores. Meat eaters.

Keep that in mind.

Purina Friskies Meaty Grills shows a kitty cooking meat on a barbeque, which is kinda quaint, but also very misleading… because the #1 ingredient in Friskies dry food is cereals and/or cereal by-products and/or vegetable by-products. Excuse the subtle pun, but that goes against the grain of a cat’s fundamental dietary needs.

Let’s say cereal grains are the #2 reason why cats suffer slowly and die prematurely of kidney failure. If cereal grains are #2, then #1 would be cereal grain by-products, or to call it a different name let’s say cereal waste products. Vegetable waste products aren’t much better.

If you compare the different Friskies formulas, such as the elegantly named Seafood Sensations and Surfin’ & Turfin’, you’ll find they’re all the same – they’re all mostly cereal waste products.

Purina get away with this because most people are easily fooled by pretty packaging, marketing, and cutesy TV ads, but the reality over the lifespan of your cat is much different:

During your cat’s youth he’ll munch on Friskies and appear healthy (from pure resilience). But one day he’ll start suffering from urinary crystals or UTIs (urinary tract infections). You’ll take him to the vet who’ll prescribe expensive medication and an expensive urinary diet such as Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d. This will show an improvement, but the reality is you’ll still be feeding your carnivorous pet grains, but marginally better grains of rice and corn. This will keep your cat alive a while longer, and in the process line your vet’s pockets while your kitty’s kidneys whither and die.

If you’re still reading (or worse, still considering buying this product), then I’ll leave you with one final statement – food colours.

If you’re currently feeding this, feed it to some chooks instead. Or bin it.

If this has helped you please take the time to share it to other Australian pet owners. Thank you

Where to buy (not that you would):

Guaranteed Analysis

* Carbohydrates aren’t listed on pet food labels. This value is calculated based on levels of protein, fat, moisture, and ash. Estimated values for moisture and ash have been used where these values haven’t been given (moisture of 10%, and ash of 8%).

Most dogs in Australia are fed processed diets formulated of wheat/sorghum/rice/corn, mostly under the banner of “premium”. But when you consider a dog is from the order carnivora this doesn’t sit right. Wouldn’t it be better to feed them a whole prey diet rich in meat?

This paleo air-dried food from Absolute Holistic does just that. Being air-dried means nutrients remain intact, whereas kibble baked at high-temps will lose most of those nutrients (which doesn’t bode well for foods mostly grains or potato).

The main ingredients in the Chicken & Hoki formula are what you would expect – chicken and hoki. The protein in the food is 31% and a fat percentage of 25% – this ensures the carbohydrates (sugars) are kept to a bare minimum (there are barely any carbs whatsoever). Let’s compare this to most kibbles which are often 50% carbs or more from fillers, and the real reason many dogs end up stocky and overweight.

The third ingredient is chicken liver, an excellent ingredient rich in vitamins and minerals, good for the eyes and to tonify the blood, as well as being good for your dog’s own liver.

Salmon oil, Green Lipped Mussel, and Flaxseed are all wonderful ingredients to support overall health and wellbeing, and should ensure your dog has healthy joints and a glossy coat. We also find Parsley which they’ve included for fresh breath, and Kelp to promote a healthy thyroid as well as being great for general health and prevention of allergies and fleas.

So is there anything bad about the food? No, not really. The only cautionary point is too much fatty liver fed over an extended period, but no dog food should be fed exclusively. Add this to a rotation and you’ll be sure to see health benefits. If the cost is an issue then use it as a topper, supplement, or alternate meal.

Definitely recommended.

If this has helped you please take the time to share it to other Australian pet owners. Thank you

The “gourmet” Pigs Ear treat pictured can be found on the shelves of Woolworths, although most supermarkets and pet food retailers have their own products. This is an IRRADIATED product imported from overseas, but it doesn’t tell you on the packaging.

IRRADIATED pet meats are known to KILL CATS. It is therefore illegal to sell irradiated pet meats to cats. For dogs however, it’s UNKNOWN what damage it may cause them. Because it’s unknown, it is still legal to sell irradiated pet meats for dogs.

How can you tell if a pet meat is IRRADIATED?

Take a look at the label of the Pigs Ear. You won’t find the word “irradiated” anywhere on the label. It doesn’t even tell you which country the product came from, only that it was “processed and packed in Australia”.

The key words are MUST NOT BE FED TO CATS.

The Australian Standard for Manufacturing and Marketing of Pet Food (AS 5812:2017) stipulates these words are the only labelling requirement for an irradiated and imported pet meat.

Always read the label of any pet food or pet treat you buy, and do not buy irradiated products.

]]>http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/blog/how-to-spot-irradiated-pet-treats-from-china/feed/0Shopping List: Super Simple DIY Bone Brothhttp://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/fresh-foods/shopping-list-super-simple-diy-bone-broth/
http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/fresh-foods/shopping-list-super-simple-diy-bone-broth/#respondThu, 21 Jun 2018 07:32:46 +0000http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/?p=4201Bone broth is extremely simple to make and very beneficial. Once the broth is made it can be stored in the fridge or even frozen.

Equipment needed:

A slow cooker (about $40)

Ingredients:

Meat – Can be soup bones (such as beef), turkey legs, chicken feet, chicken necks. You can use a mixture if you like.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Turmeric

That’s it!!!

Instructions:

Put the meat in the slow cooker and fill with enough water to cover the meat. Add some apple cider vinegar which helps extract the nutrients from the bones.

Cook on low for 20 to 24 hours.

Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of turmeric and cook for a further 10 minutes.

All done. How simple is that? You can add it to fresh meats, vegetables, or pour on top of kibble.

You might be surprised to know most Working Dog foods are the complete opposite of what a working dog really needs.

An active dog needs quality meat proteins to build and retain muscle and overall health, and quality meat fats to burn as energy (they utilise animal fats much better than we do for energy).

Most Working Dog foods are the complete opposite – low in quality meat proteins and meat fats. Instead they’re very high in carbohydrates (from cheap grains), the reason being it’s cheaper to produce, but also because manufacturers can use the excuse a working dog will burn off the carbohydrates before they turn to sugars and fat.

Black Hawk Working Dog, alternatively known as Pasture Grazed Lamb and Beef, is a high protein, high fat food. That sets it apart from most other working dog foods available in Australia. That’s a great thing, with the caveat being cost (but you get what you pay for).

The first two ingredients are lamb and beef meat meals, both pre-dried protein dense sources of meat. These will amount to a significant proportion of the food as a whole.

The third ingredient is oats, one of the better choices of grain and a good source of slow-burning energy. Rice (white rice) is also found as the fifth ingredient. There’s widespread belief that grains are bad for dogs when they’re not, the real issue being excesive grains, particularly wheat and sorghum. Oats and rice are good selections in this food in the quantities they’re in.

Pea protein will play a part in the whopping 32% protein as well as adding fibre, as will peas which are also found in the food in a smaller amount.

As a whole the food is well formulated and appropriate for a working dog. It’s nice to see the use of natural preservatives instead of chemicals, as well as a range of fruits, veggies, oils, and even eggs.

This is a good food, and better than many other working dog foods.

If this has helped you please take the time to share it to other Australian pet owners. Thank you

Where to buy?

Guaranteed Analysis

* Carbohydrates aren’t listed on pet food labels. This value is calculated based on levels of protein, fat, moisture, and ash. Estimated values for moisture and ash have been used where these values haven’t been given (moisture of 10%, and ash of 8%).